Lady Wang and Empress Dowager Zhang were terrified and collapsed to the ground, a foul-smelling liquid uncontrollably soaking their magnificent skirts.
They looked at Su Wanwan's calm and expressionless face; her beautiful eyes held no warmth, only an indifference that seemed to control life and death.
Su Wanwan ignored the scream and nodded slightly.
One palace maid stepped forward and pinched the chin of the Grand Princess of Yixing, while another palace maid deftly pulled off the stopper of the jade bottle and poured the clear, watery liquid inside into her mouth.
The screaming stopped abruptly.
Princess Yixing's eyes widened, a strange gurgling sound came from her throat, her body convulsed violently a few times, then she collapsed, a trickle of black blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, and she was no longer alive.
The strong, bitter aroma of almonds filled the Buddhist hall.
Su Wanwan took out a plain handkerchief, gently covered her nose, and turned her gaze to Wang Shi and Empress Dowager Zhang, who were trembling and whose crotches were soaked. Her voice remained calm and unwavering:
"The day Prince Lu is executed will be the day when the two empresses can live out their days in peace. His Majesty will take care of the fate of the Great Liang. You two, take good care of yourselves."
Having said that, she didn't even glance at the corpse on the ground or the incontinent Empress Dowager. She turned around, her skirt brushing against the smooth ground, and gracefully departed.
"Su Wanwan, you are disobedient and unfilial. Aren't you afraid of being despised by the world?" Empress Dowager Zhang said through gritted teeth.
Su Wanwan turned around and smiled sweetly, "I've already been deposed as Empress, what's there to be afraid of? Are you afraid the Emperor will kill me?"
"If the Empress Dowager wants to kill me, she should ask the Emperor to issue an edict now."
Empress Dowager Zhang, in a fit of impotence and rage, slammed her fist on the ground a few times and burst into tears.
Wang stared blankly as Su Wanwan's figure disappeared.
There's a real difference between loving and not loving.
She was the second empress of Emperor Xianzong. For decades, she was neither loved nor favored. She carefully guarded her position as empress and dared not overstep the bounds under the pressure of the shrewd and capable Emperor Xianzong and her mother-in-law, Lady Zhou.
As for Su Wanwan, even though Emperor Lu Xingjian personally deposed her from her position as Empress, she was still the most beloved woman in the Emperor's heart, unique to him and no other woman.
Therefore, whether or not the Empress's position is abolished makes little difference to Su Wanwan.
How come she's so lucky?
The lotus pond in Xiaoyuan presents a completely different scene.
The turbulent court and the bloody harem seemed to be kept out of this small world.
The early summer sun was warm and gentle, casting dappled light through the dense foliage.
Lu Xingjian, taking a rare break, shed his imperial demeanor and sat on a stone bench by the waterside pavilion, dressed only in a plain, everyday robe.
He held Yan Ge'er in his arms, holding a small birch bow, patiently adjusting his son's slightly clumsy grip.
"Keep your hands steady and your mind calm."
Lu Xingjian's voice was deep and gentle, completely lacking the coldness he displayed in the imperial court.
"Just like your mother brewing tea, watching the steam and listening to the sound of the water, when the heat is just right, the aroma of the tea will naturally come out."
Not far away, Su Wanwan was kneeling in front of a low table, her slender hands fiddling with a small red clay stove and a set of sky-blue glazed teaware.
Boiling water is poured into the teacup, and the emerald green tea tips unfurl and float in the clear water, releasing a delicate and pleasant aroma.
A gentle smile played on her lips as she occasionally glanced at the father and son by the waterside pavilion, her eyes filled with tenderness.
"Father...Father Emperor,"
Yan Ge'er strained to draw the bowstring, his little face turning red.
"Were those two wicked Prince Ning from Jiangxi and Prince Lu from Shandong driven away?"
Lu Xingjian held his son's small hand, helping him steady his posture, glanced at a kingfisher hopping on a willow branch in the distance, and chuckled softly:
“Those petty villains can’t cause any real trouble. With Father Emperor here and Yan’er to help Father Emperor when he grows up, they will only scatter like this bird startled by a bow.”
He gently released Yan Ge'er's hand, and the small arrow left the bowstring. Although it missed its target, it carried a youthful sharpness and disappeared into the grass not far away.
Yan Ge'er clapped his hands excitedly: "It flew away! The bad bird flew away!"
Su Wanwan gracefully approached, carrying a freshly brewed cup of Biluochun tea. The refreshing aroma of the tea mingled with the faint scent of roses emanating from her.
She gently placed the teacup on the stone table beside Lu Xingjian, then sat down on the stone bench next to him, picked up a silk handkerchief, and gently wiped away the fine sweat that had seeped from Yan Ge'er's forehead from his exertion.
"Your Majesty, please don't overwork yourself."
Her voice was clear and melodious, like jade beads falling onto a plate, "Prince Ning is now a trapped beast, and the officialdom in Jiangxi has been cleaned up. As for Prince Lu..."
She paused, a cold glint flashing in her eyes before softening into gentleness. "These clowns will be swept away by the mighty army. As for you, you were reviewing memorials until the wee hours last night."
Lu Xingjian took the teacup, his fingertips touching the warm porcelain wall and her slightly cool fingertips.
He grasped it in his other hand, enveloping the soft hand in his broad palm.
The rising wisps of tea smoke blurred the lingering coldness and weariness between his brows.
He lowered his head and took a sip of tea, the mellow and slightly astringent taste melting on his tongue. His gaze fell on his gentle wife and lively son beside him, and a genuine warmth finally rippled in his deep eyes.
"It's alright."
His voice was deep, with a hint of hoarseness and satisfaction, "With you all here, I can protect this country."
Outside the waterside pavilion, the chirping of cicadas gradually began.
In the lotus pond, new lotus leaves stand tall and graceful, and pink and white buds quietly develop among the green leaves.
A gentle breeze carries the sweet fragrance of lotus blossoms, softly enveloping this small corner of the world.
...
Censor Zhang Aoshan submitted a memorial stating that since the start of military operations, the number of bandits in Jiangxi reported annually to have been no less than 10,000.
If it wasn't a false report, thieves should have been wiped out by now.
In reality, the bandits in Jiangxi not only did not disappear, but became more and more rampant.
It is evident that the people of Jiangxi were misled and exaggerated the number of bandits they had suppressed.
As a result, the imperial court's military power waned, while the number of thieves continued to grow.
The local government then advocated for appeasement in an attempt to evade responsibility. The proclamation for appeasement did not dare to name the bandit leader, instead referring to him as a "new citizen."
In Jiangxi, local government offices treated thieves like passersby, and the people feared thieves as much as the government itself.
Thieves plundered openly, and the government dared not arrest them. Among the common people, there were even sayings like, "Thieves are so powerful, why don't I join them?"
The memorial also stated that Yu Jian, the Grand Censor-in-Chief of Jiangxi, was stubborn and lacked foresight, and suggested that someone with prestige be chosen to replace him.
Upon seeing this memorial, Lu Xingjian was so angry that he smashed his teacup.
For officials and bandits to collude to such an extent is a disgrace to the imperial court!
The memorial also mentioned methods for quelling the bandits, recommending the selection of five or six officials, both inside and outside the capital, who were experienced in battle and possessed strategic acumen, to be added to the positions of the provincial governors of Jiangzhe, and to lead local troops in Raozhou, Fuzhou, Quzhou and other places to defend the borders.
Officials in charge of patrols and other duties are responsible for supervising the allocation of provisions and supplies, each guarding their own territory and not allowed to allocate them without authorization. If any minor disturbance occurs, they are to be apprehended immediately. If any bandits or thieves are to be intercepted and killed, the first to be captured is to achieve a complete victory, and then a report is submitted for reward.
If a victory is shortly followed by defeat and destruction, the perpetrator will be punished for deception.
If we were to pacify and appease the bandits to alleviate their lingering troubles, it would be considered a missed opportunity. In this case, we could delegate responsibilities and the bandits could be quelled.
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